Clamp



P. DARDE June 23, 1959 CLAMP 2 Sheeis-Sheetl Filed May 9, 1955 FIG.

FIG, 2.

; INVENTOR. PETER DARDE FIG. 3.

ATTORNEYS P. DARDE June 23', 1959 CLAMP Filed May 9, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5.

FIG. 6.

I 'INVENTOR. PETER DARDE BY Fl G, 4.

ATTORNEYS away from United States Patent Ofifice CLAMP Peter Darde, Line Lexington, Pa, assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Machine and Metals, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application May 9, 1955, Serial No. 506,791 3 Claims. (Cl. 24-81) This invention relates to a clamp and, more particularly, relates to a clamp which is adapted to secure an elongated object such as a tube to, for example, a shaft which may be either solid or hollow.

It is an object of this invention to provide a clamp which can be used to readily secure, for example, a tube to a shaft.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a structure which can be used to secure a tube to a shaft with only a single operation being necessary for the engagement of both the tube and the shaft.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent on reading the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a clamp in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the clamp in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the clamp in Figure 1 illustrating its use in connection with a small sized tube;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the clamp of Figure 1 illustrating its use in connection with a shaft or tube of large dimensions;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a modified clamp in accordance with this invention;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the clamp in Figure 5.

As shown in Figures 1 through 3, a clamp 2 in accordance with this invention, is provided with a pair of spaced legs 4 and 6. Legs 4 and 6 are each provided with a serrated portion 8 which is adapted to engage a shaft 10 which, as illustrated, may be a hollow shaft.

Integral with leg 4 are a pair of jaw members 12, 12 each of which are provided with an arcuate serrated portion 14. Similarly, leg 6 is provided with a pair of jaw members 16, 16 which are respectively opposite jaw members 12, 12 and are provided with arcuate serrated portions 18. The serrated portions 14 and 18 are adapted to engage, for example, an elongated tube 20.

law members 12, 12 and 16, 16 are pivotably mounted on a pin 22 which is headed over as shown at 24 and 26. A bolt 28 is pivotably mounted on pin 22 which passes through an opening 30 in head 32 of bolt 28. Hollow spacing members 34 and 36 mounted on pin 22 act to space bolt 28 centrally between the jaw members.

A helical spring 40 has extension arms 42 and 44 which engage legs 4 and 6 and act to bias the tops of the legs each other thus tending to separate the jaw members.

Bolt 28 has a shank portion 46 which is adapted to pass through tube 10 and has a threaded portion 48 which receives a nut 50.

In operation, clamp 2 is first secured to tube 18 by passing shank 46 of bolt 28 through openings 52 and 54 in tube 10. Nut 50 is then screwed to the outer end of threaded portion 48. In this position, spring 40 biases the upper portion of legs 4 and 6 apart and thus keeps jaw members 12, 12 and 16, 16 spread apart in a position to receive the tube 20. Tube is then inserted between jaw members 12, 12 and 16, 16 and nut 50 is 2,891,296 Patented June 23, 1959 threaded further on bolt 28. The latter action causes the legs 4 and 6 to pivot on tube 10 which causes the jaws 12, 12 and '16, 16 to be drawn together. After the jaws have tightly clamped the tube 20, the further tightening of nut 50 causes the jaws to be tightly clamped to tube 10.

Figure 3 illustrates the use of the clamp 2 to clamp the tube 58 which is smaller in diameter than the tube 20 in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 4, the clamp 2 can readily be secured to varying sizes of shafts or tubes, the tube 10 of Figure 1 being shown in phantom lines and the larger diameter tube 56 being shown in full lines.

An alternative device which eliminates securing the clamp through an opening in the tube is shown in Figures 5 and 6. A clamp 60 is provided with jaw members 12, 12 and 16, 16 and legs 4 and 6 which are identical with those of the clamp 2.

J aw members 12, 12 and 16, 16 are pivotably mounted on a pin 62 which extends beyond the outer edges of the jaws and has headed over ends 64, 66. Bolt members 68, 68 are pivotably secured to pin 62 by eye portions 70 which are located inside headed over ends 64 and 66, respectively. A saddle 72 having a pair of serrated arcuate portions 74 is provided with openings 76 for the passage of bolt member 68. Nuts 78 are threaded on bolt members 68 and engage saddle 72. As shown, jaw members 12, 12 and 16, 16 are adapted to engage a tube 86 and a tube 82 is engaged by legs 4 and 6 and saddle 72.

In operation, clamp 60 is secured to tube 82 by first seating legs 4 and 6 on tube 82 and then engaging tube 82 with saddle 72 which is secured in position by nuts 78. Tube 80 is then inserted between jaw members 12, 12 and 16, 16 and then nuts 78 are further threaded onto bolt members 68 to first cause the jaw members 12, 12 and 16, 16 to tightly engage tube 80 and to then cause tube 82 to be tightly clamped between legs 4 and 6 and saddle 72.

It is not desired to be limited except as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clamp adapted to secure an elongated object at a substantially right angle and in a different plane with respect to a shaft comprising a pair of spaced legs each having a concave surface at a terminal end thereof to straddle and engage said shaft, jaw members secured to said legs and lying in planes substantially perpendicular to the planes of the legs respectively, said jaw members being pivoted together on a pin above the bottom of said legs and substantially midway between said! legs, means connected to said pin and adapted to engage the side of said shaft opposite said legs to advance said. pin towards said shaft and to cause said jaws to grip the elongated object and the clamp to be secured to said shaft.

2. A clamp adapted to secure an elongated object at a substantially right angle and in a different plane with respect to a shaft comprising a pair of spaced legs each having a concave surface at a terminal end thereof to straddle and engage said shaft, jaw members secured to said legs and lying in planes substantially perpendicular to the planes of the legs respectively, said jaw members being pivoted together on a pin above the bottom of said legs and substantially midway between said legs, a bolt pivotally mounted on said pin, means threaded on said bolt and adapted to engage the side of said shaft opposite said legs.

3. A clamp in accordance with means connected to the concave surface adapted opposite the legs and mounted on the pin and claim 1, in which the pin comprises a saddle having a to engage the side of the shaft a pair of bolts each pivotally secured to the saddle by a nut.

(References on following page) 3 7 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,212,156 UNITED STATES PATENTS 483,963 A Leger Oct. 4,1892 578,014 Homan' Mar. 2, 1897 5 1,986,028 'Terry Jan. 1, 1935 55 596 2,014,634

Polgbv 1 Sept. 17, 1935 Erdley Aug. 20, 1940 Ruggieri Oct. 28, 1941 Sherrill Jan. 13, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Mar. 10, 1891 

